US5140398A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Switching device
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1987-12-22
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Granted: 1992-08-18
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Expires: 2007-12-22
Abstract
Abstract A switching device is provided which comprises a pair of electrodes, and a insulating zone and a conductive or semiconductive zone that are provided between said electrodes. Another switching device is also provided which comprises a pair of electrodes, and a laminated structural body in which an insulating thin film and a conductive or semiconductive thin film are alternately laminated between said electrodes in the direction vertical to the surfaces of said electrodes. This device may be used for a switching process in which an electric circuit is switched from the switched off state to the switched-on state by irradiation of electromagnetic radiation.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroshi Matsuda
- 👤 Haruki Kawada
- 👤 Kunihiro Sakai
- 👤 Yuko Morikawa
- 👤 Ken Eguchi
- 👤 Takashi Hamamoto
- 👤 Masaki Kuribayashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:52
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F30/00; H10K; H10K10/00; H10K10/50; H10K30/00; H10K30/10; H10K85/00; H10K85/10; H10K85/111; H10K85/701; H10K30/354; H10K39/00; H10K85/60; H10K85/615; H10K85/621; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/549
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
A switching device, comprising: a laminated structure comprising a pair of electrodes, and at least two insulating zones and a conductive or semiconductive zone that are provided between said pair of electrodes, and a means for applying electromagnetic radiation to said laminated structure, wherein said conductive or semiconductive zone is provided between said insulating zones and has a thickness of 5 Å to 100 Å, and wherein said switching device is switched from an off-state to an on-state under application of a voltage exceeding a threshold voltage when said laminated structure is exposed to electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
A switching device, comprising: a laminated structure comprising a pair of electrodes, and at least two insulating zones and a conductive or semiconductive zone that are provided between said pair of electrodes, and a means for applying electromagnetic radiation to said laminated structure, wherein said conductive or semiconductive zone is provided between said insulating zones and has a thickness of 5 Å to 100 Å, and wherein said switching device is switched from an off-state to an on-state under application of a voltage exceeding a threshold voltage when said laminated structure is exposed to electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The switching device of claim 1, wherein said conductive or semiconductive zone is disposed separate from said electrodes through the interposition of said insulating zone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The switching device of claim 1, wherein said insulating zones and conductive or semiconductive zones are respectively formed by alternately laminating insulating thin films and conductive or semiconductive thin films to form a laminated structural body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The switching device of claim 3, wherein said insulating thin films have a film thickness of 10 Å to 500 Å.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The switching device of claim 3, wherein said conductive or semiconductive thin films have a film thickness of 5 Å to 100 Å.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The switching device of claim 1, wherein said insulating zones comprise monomolecular films or monomolecular built-up films consisting of an organic compound.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The switching device of claim 6, wherein said monomolecular films or monomolecular built-up films are insulating thin Langmuir-Blodgett films.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The switching device of claim 7, wherein said insulating thin films comprise Langmuir-Blodgett films comprising a compound having a π electron level, a polymeric compound or a fatty acid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The switching device of claim 1, wherein said insulating thin films are oxide or nitride films.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The switching device of claim 1, wherein said insulating zones comprise a conductive metal-oxide film.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
68 words
The switching device of claim 1, wherein said conductive or semiconductive zone comprises a conductive or semiconductive thin film, and wherein said conductive or semiconductive thin film comprises a film made of a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ag, Zn, Sn and Pb or an alloy thereof, As 2 Se 3 , CdS, ZnO, GaAs or Si including single crystal silicon, polysilicon or amorphous silicon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The switching device of claim 1, wherein said conductive or semiconductive zone has a thickness of 5 Å to 50 Å.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The switching device of claim 3, wherein said conductive or semiconductive zone has a thickness of 5 Å to 50 Å.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
The switching device of claim 1, wherein one electrode is light-transmissive.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The switching device of claim 1, wherein said electrodes have a thickness of 2000 Å or less.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
128 words
A switching device, comprising: a laminated structure comprising a pair of electrodes, and a first insulating zone, a second insulating zone and a conductive or semiconductive zone that are provided between said electrodes, and a means for applying electromagnetic radiation to said laminated structure, wherein said conductive or semiconductive zone is provided between said first insulating zone and second insulating zone and has a thickness of 5 Å to 100 Å, wherein one electrode is made of Au, and said insulating zone adjacent to said one electrode contains a monolayer or multilayer film of an organic compound, and wherein said switching device is switched from an off-state to an on-state under application of a voltage exceeding a threshold voltage when said laminated structure is exposed to electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
128 words
A switching device, comprising: a laminated structure comprising a pair of electrodes, and a first insulating zone, a second insulating zone and a conductive or semiconductive zone that are provided between said electrodes, and a means for applying electromagnetic radiation to said laminated structure, wherein said conductive or semiconductive zone is provided between said first insulating zone and second insulating zone and has a thickness of 5 Å to 100 Å, wherein one electrode is made of Au, and said insulating zone adjacent to said one electrode contains a monolayer or multilayer film of an organic compound, and wherein said switching device is switched from an off-state to an on-state under application of a voltage exceeding a threshold voltage when said laminated structure is exposed to electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
105 words
A switching device, comprising: a laminating structure comprising a pair of electrodes, and at least two insulating zones and a conductive or semiconductive zone that are provided between said pair of electrodes, and a means for applying electromagnetic radiation to said laminated structure, wherein said conductive or semiconductive zone is provided between said insulating zones and has a thickness of 5 Å to 100 Å and one of said insulating zones comprises an organic material, wherein said switching device is switched from an off-state to an on-state under application of a voltage exceeding a threshold voltage when said laminated structure is exposed to electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
105 words
A switching device, comprising: a laminating structure comprising a pair of electrodes, and at least two insulating zones and a conductive or semiconductive zone that are provided between said pair of electrodes, and a means for applying electromagnetic radiation to said laminated structure, wherein said conductive or semiconductive zone is provided between said insulating zones and has a thickness of 5 Å to 100 Å and one of said insulating zones comprises an organic material, wherein said switching device is switched from an off-state to an on-state under application of a voltage exceeding a threshold voltage when said laminated structure is exposed to electromagnetic radiation.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The switching device of claims 16 or 17, wherein each of said insulating thin zones are formed by insulating thin films of 10 Å to 500 Å thickness.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The switching device of claims 16 or 17, wherein said conductive or semiconductive zone is formed by conductive or semiconductive thin films of 5 Å to 50 Å thickness.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The switching device of claims 16 or 17, wherein said insulating zones comprise monomolecular films or monomolecular built-up films consisting of an organic compound.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The switching device of claim 20, wherein said insulating thin films are Langmuir-Blodgett films.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
The switching device of claim 21, wherein said insulating thin films comprise Langmuir-Blodgett films comprising a compound having a π electron level, a polymeric compound or a fatty acid.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
The switching device of claim 18, wherein said insulating thin films comprise thin films selected from the group consisting of oxide, nitride and Langmuir-Blodgett insulating thin films and combinations thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
54 words
The switching device of claim 19, wherein said conductive or semiconductive thin films comprise a film made of a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ag, Zn, Sn and Pb or an alloy thereof, As 2 Se 3 , CdS, ZnO, GaAs or Si including single crystal silicon, polysilicon or amorphous silicon.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
13 words
The switching device of dlaims 16 or 17, wherein one electrode is light-transmissive.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
13 words
The switching device of dlaims 16 or 17, wherein one electrode is light-transmissive.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
The switching device of claims 16 or 17, wherein said electrodes have a thickness of 2000 Å or less.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
21 words
The switching device of claim 16, wherein said conductive or semiconductive zone has a thickness of 5 Å to 50 Å.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
The switching device according to claim 16, wherein one electrode is light transmissive.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
The switching device according to claim 16, wherein said electrodes have a thickness of 2000 Å or less.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-08-18 | 1996-02-17 | 1996-08-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-08-18 | 2000-02-17 | 2000-08-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-08-18 | 2004-02-17 | 2004-08-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |